The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-07-25
A SUDDEN CHANGE OF FRONT.
Why the Cleveland Organs Have Ceased to
Rail a the Grand Army

Boston Journal
TIE Cleveland organs have suddenly ceased to
crielcise the veterans. No longer are they print
ing editorials in which it is asserted that the
Grand Army is an organization created to raid
the Treasury. No longer are they publishing
tables showing that our pension-lis is longer
than the muster-roll of the standing armies of
European nations The periodical attacks upon
the dependent pension bill have ceased. The
National Encampment has announced is
longer assalled with figures showing
that it is scheme of robbery. Several
days have passed since the pub
lication of editorials in which those who apply
for pensions were called cofee-cooiers and bum
mers. A dispatch dated at Washington ap-
the present Commissioner of Pensions more
pensions have been granted than during the
same number of years under Grant. Hayes,
Garfield and Arthur. Presto change! The
granting of pensions has become virtue and
the test of patriotism, and because few
thousand more names have been put upon the
pension rolls during given period under the
present administration Mr. Cleveland is a more
devoted friend to the soldier than we're Generals
Grant, Hayes. Garfield and Arthur Once it
was virtue that Mr.. Cleveland vetoed private
pension bills, and Cleveland organs chartered in
ecstacy over the coarse wit and unfeeling
renecnons winch the veto messages
fact that he has approved more of such
bills than any of his predecessors within the
same length OF tme-the inference being that
his Republican predecessors vetoed more oe such
bills than Mr.. Cleveland, when, as a matter of
fact, more were passed during the latter period.
Indeed, the way these papers praising
Mr.. Cleveland for signing private pension bills
would lead one to infer that General Grant was
the President who did most of the vetong. This
sudden about-face since the dispatch from
Washington which bears the ear-marks of the
Commissioner of Pensions is very remark able
but it comes too late. There more than a
hundred veto messages, and a veto of the de-
pendent pension bill, which matters of
record, and which full of expressions OF con-
tempt and accusations of dishonesty, which will
be remembered
It is true that few thousand more names
were added to the pension rolls during the year
which ended June 30. 1856, than during previous
years, and when the figures of the fiscal year
which has just ended given out it will appear
that still larger number were added and when
the present year shall have ended number
larger than ever known TO have been added in one
year will be reported. To add the names of the
survivors of the Mexican war to the rolls il is
only necessary to ascertain that they are sixty
two years of Again, during the period
from 1878 to 1882 large numbers of applications
for pensions were made, and it required s. long
time to obtain the evidence required to mass
upon them. The administration came in at a
time when much of this evidence was
about completed, and all that it's
examiners bad to do to pass upon the
cases. Again, Commissioner Black has a larger
force OF more experienced clerks than any of
his predecessors. Congress during the session
OF 1852 more than dou bled the number of ex-
aminers. clerks and other pension officials June